Rédaction Africa Links 24 with alm
Published on 2024-04-09 11:08:49
Marrakech
Italian Matteo Berrettini won the 38th edition of the Grand Prix Hassan II Tennis Tournament, held from March 31 to April 7 on the courts of the Royal Tennis Club of Marrakech (RTCMA).
Italian Matteo Berrettini (135th in the world) defeated the defending champion of the 37th edition, Spanish Roberto Carballés Baena, in the final by two sets to 0 (7-5, 6-2). After a closely contested first set between the two players, Matteo Berrettini took control in the second set, winning convincingly by a score of 6-2.
This is the eighth ATP title for the 27-year-old Italian tennis player, who was ranked in the Top 10 in 2022, the highest ranking of his professional career that began in 2015. On his way to victory, Matteo Berrettini defeated Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko in the round of 16 (6-2, 6-1), Spaniard Jaume Munar in the quarterfinals (6-4, 4-6, 6-3), fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the quarterfinals (6-3, 7-6), and Argentinean Mariano Navone in the semifinals (6-7, 6-3, 6-2).
After the final, Matteo Berrettini emphasized that the first set was difficult and closely contested, in contrast to the second set, acknowledging the difficulty of playing against Roberto Carballés Baena, a seasoned and tough opponent.
On the doubles side, Finnish Harri Heliövaara and British Henry Patten won the 38th edition of the Grand Prix Hassan II Tennis Tournament (doubles). The Heliövaara/Patten duo claimed the title after defeating the Austrian Alexander Erler and his compatriot Lucas Miedler in the final by two sets to one (3-6, 6-4, 10-4).
Tournament director Hicham Arazi thanked the large audience that attended the final, noting that the 38th edition of the Grand Prix Hassan II Tennis Tournament offered high-level matches with intense exchanges on clay courts throughout the week.
The prize-giving ceremony was attended by the president of the Royal Moroccan Tennis Federation (FRMT), Fayçal Laraïchi, the director of sports at the Ministry of National Education, Pre-school and Sports – Department of Sports, Abderrazak El Akkari, the Secretary General of the Wilaya of the Marrakech-Safi region, members of the FRMT board of directors, elected officials, and other personalities.
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and organized by the FRMT, the Grand Prix Hassan II, which has been played since 2016 on the courts of the RTCMA, brings together the superstars of the world tennis, offering an unforgettable experience to fans eager to witness intense exchanges on clay courts.
Read the original article(French) on Aujourdhui.ma
